Ten Nicknames for Katherine

Image Credit

Katherine and Catherine are classics. Katherine has never made it out of the top 105, and Catherine has always remained in the top 200. With names as timeless as these, many nicknames have emerged. A few of them are rather dated, but some are ready for revival. Which one would you choose for a little Katherine?

Cat- The spunky, feline Cat would be a delightful nickname for a Catherine. Spelling her Kat gets rid of the animal association, but that can be part of the fun.

Kate- Kate is perhaps the most enduring of all of Katherine's nicknames. She never sounds dowdy, and I can picture her on women of all ages. Kate (or Cate or Cait) is never a bad choice.

Kath- Kath is a powerful, take-charge name. She means business. Kath may not be the cutest nickname for Katherine, but if you're looking for a strong short form, I think Kath is perfect.

Kathy- Kathy (and Cathy) are the most stale names on this list. They peaked in 1958, so we could use another generation before they make their way back in fashion.

Katie- Katie takes the cake for most alternate spellings. Take your pick of Katie, Katy, Catie, Caity, Caitie, Katey, Kati, Catee, or Catey. It's quite the bunch. Katie is by far the most prominent spelling, and ranks at #244 on her own.

Kay- I'm ready for a Kay comeback. Kay and Kaye peaked in the 1940s, but I could see her sneaking back in even earlier than 2040. People are warming up to May and Fay, so why not Kay?

Kit- Historically, Kit has been used on more boys than girls, but right now the genders are pretty even. I prefer Kit on a girl--she's fresh, not too feminine, and plus, there's that sweet American Girl Doll with the name.

Kitty- The retro Kitty would be darling on a Katherine of today. I happen to know one, and her name wears very well. If you like charming, old fashioned nicknames, give Kitty a chance.

Rina- Rina is beautiful, sophisticated, and rarely heard as a nickname for Katherine. She is a legitimate diminutive, and would be lovely on a little girl.

Rynne- Rynne (or Rynn) is a logical nickname for Katherine, yet, out of all the Katherines I know, I've never encountered a Rynne. She's a nice option for many parents, and with Wynn and Wynne rising on the charts, she might become a more popular nickname.

Celebrity Baby Name Predictions: Volume 13

Celebrities are the taste-makers of the baby name world. Sid and McCoy--two names that were on nobody's radar screen--now have serious style cred thanks to the Biggs and Porter families. I would not be surprised to see McCoy break into the top 1000 for 2016 (which comes out this Friday--hooray!). 

Some stars, like Whitney Port, are bound to be influential in their baby name choice. And no matter what they choose, everyone's going to be talking about what Heidi Montag Pratt and Serena Williams name their babies. So let's get into it! I've made my predictions below--how do they compare to yours?

Whitney Port and Tim Rosenman

Gender: unknown

Siblings: none

Whitney Port has a self-described "New York meets LA" style. The major thing these cities have in common when it comes to baby names? They both are ahead of the curve. That leads me to believe that Whitney and her husband Tim will choose a name that is on the cusp of cool--something stylish, but relatively low on the popularity charts.

Girl: Briar, Cassia, Colette, Dahlia, Emmeline, Esme, Posey, Margot, Wren

Boy: Amos, Cyrus, Desmond. Ford, Hugh, Leland, Rhys, Sutton, Thatcher
*Update* It's a boy! Sonny Sanford

Jenny Mollen and Jason Biggs

Gender: boy

Siblings: Sid

Jenny Mollen and Jason Biggs put Sid back on the map for boys. The formerly fusty, old man name now seems incredibly dapper. Can they flip the switch on another name with baby number two? I've included some recent revivals along with yet to be rediscovered gems--whatever name they pick, I'm sure we'll be pleased.

Boy: Dexter, Ed, Frank, Gus, Hal, Ike, Len, Lester, Lou, Moe, Roscoe, Victor
*Update* He's Lazlo--love it!

Aijia and Andy Grammer

Gender: girl

Siblings: none

Family is Aijia and Andy Grammer's number one value. They have expressed multiple times that they want to honor Andy's late mother Kathy somehow in their daughter's name. My best guess is that they'll use a variation of Katherine, but maybe they will do something subtler, like choose a name that shares a meaning with Kathy.

Girl: Agnes, Catalina, Kate, Katelyn, Kathryn, Kay, Kitty, Virginia, Wynn
*Update* They did honor Mom--baby girl is Louisiana K!

Elena Samodanova and Gleb Savchenko

Gender: girl

Siblings: Olivia

Russian dancers Elena Samodanova and Gleb Savchenko gave their American-born daughter a top-notch name--Olivia. Olivia does not have Russian roots, but it is long and romantic like many Russian and Eastern European names. For their next daughter, I expect something one in the same--a multi-syllable moniker that wears well whether she's in Russia or the United States.

Girl: Alexandra, Anastasia, Arabella, Isabella, Natalia, Sofia, Valentina
*Update* Hello, Zlata!

Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt

Gender: unknown

Siblings: none

Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt are best known for their reality TV days, but recently they've been more involved in the crystal healing trade. Perhaps their new passion will inspire them to choose a gemstone name or something similarly spiritual for their first born son or daughter.

Girl: Amethyst, Azalea, Emerald, Honor, Sapphire, Serenity, Topaz, Winter

Boy: Ever, Garnet, Hero, Justice, Noble, Onyx, Pax, Sage, True, Valentine
*Update* A little boy--Gunner Stone!

Hannah Simone and Jesse Giddings

Gender: unknown

Siblings: none

This is going to be the first real baby for Hannah Simone and Jesse Giddings, but they already have three fur-babies--cats named Alfie, Jake, and Frank. Now, that's not a perfectly coordinated cat sibset, but all three of those names do share a common thread--they're very friendly. Does that mean the couple will choose a similarly upbeat and cheerful name for their son or daughter? I'd put my money on it.

Girl: Birdie, Georiga, Grace, Josie, Langley, Lola, Lucy, Natalie, Nora, Olive

Boy: Caleb, Charlie, Elliott, George, Henry, Leo, Oscar, Owen, Sammy, Theo

Kelsey Mayfield and Scott Porter

Gender: unknown

Siblings: McCoy Lee

Actors Kelsey Mayfield and Scott Porter gave their son the ultimate Country Western baby name--McCoy Lee. McCoy is on trend but not at all popular, and down-to-earth to boot. I'm itching to hear the name of Kelsey and Scott's next child, since they hit it out of the park the first time.

Girl: Brynn, Darcy, Keeley, Maisie, Paige, Quinn, Ryan, Shea, Skye, Wynne

Boy: Brody, Cord, Graham, Guy, Jethro, Len, Murphy, Roarke, West, Wylie
*Update* Welcome, Clover Ash!

Serena Williams and Alexis Ohanian

Gender: unknown

Siblings: none

Tennis champion Serena Williams is pregnant with her first child, and the internet is abound with suggestions for the baby's name. Most of them center around athletics and tributes (Ace! Venus! Serenus?), but I have a feeling Serena will go in a different direction. Her dog is Christopher, called Chip, and her beloved stuffed animal is Max. I would not be surprised if she chose a milder, well-liked name for her child. Serena's fiancé Alexis Ohanian is Armenian, so it's quite possible the name will have some influence from his heritage.

Girl: Audrey, Clara, Elisa, Juliet, Layla, Lusine, Lydia, Sophia, Zabelle

Boy: Andrew, Benjamin, Connor, Jake, Lev, Lucas, Samuel, Simon, William
*Update* A girl! Alexis Ohanian Jr., called by her middle name, Olympia

Share a Coke Names: Part One

I made this here.

I'm sure you guys are familiar with the Share a Coke campaign. It's a great marketing scheme, not only because they get free advertising with every Instagrammed bottle, but because people go crazy for stuff with their names on it. While you can put any name on your coke if you order it online, only certain names are sold in store. Here in America, they chose 250 names to be a part of that group. I recorded them all, so I will list them below, then we will talk about hits and misses. It's all after the jump.

 

Disclaimer: This is not sponsored by the Coca Cola company. I actually don't like soda. At all.

Song Names: Simon & Garfunkel

Image Credit

Simon & Garfunkel are a pretty cool band. I had not heard of them until I watched The Graduate for the first time (two-ish years ago), and my love for them was reaffirmed when I saw The Royal Tenenbaums. It turns out so many of their songs have names in them. There are quite a bit more boys  names and double barrels in the titles than usual, which is perfect if you want a son with an unforgettable name.

Girls:
Anji- Spell it Angie, then forget about it because why would you name your baby Angie?
April- A dated month pick, but the song is really pretty.
Cecilia- Perfect song, perfect name.
Emily- Overused and on the verge of sounding dated.
Kathy- If you need a nickname for Katherine, I would pick Kit or Kate.
Peggy- I could see this one working on a baby, but then again, I know a Peggy (who's my age).
Rose- Sweet. Lovely. Just don't put her in the middle.
Susie- I feel like I always talk about how Susie is a great choice due for a comeback. So I won't say it again.

Boys:
Benedictus- Is your son going to become the Pope? Then skip this one and go for Benedict.
Johnny Ace- Totally awesome, but a hard name to pull off.
Julio- If Julian is back, why can't Julio be too?
Richard Cory- This sounds like the name of a middle aged accountant. Richard by itself could work.
Frank Lloyd- Naming children after specific people is not a good idea.